Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board push for uniform Friday sermons sparks political row

The Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board has moved to introduce uniform Friday sermons across mosques and shrines affiliated with the body, triggering sharp reactions from regional political parties and religious leaders.

The Meeting and New Plan

Board chairperson and senior BJP leader Darakshan Andrabi announced the plan during a meeting in Srinagar on October 11, which was attended by imams and khateebs from hundreds of affiliated religious sites. Executive Magistrate at the Board Ishtiyaq Mohi-ud-Din stated that officials had been pushing the idea for a month and sought views on bringing non-Waqf mosques under the same sermon structure. Ms. Andrabi explained that pre-selected topics chosen by a core committee of Islamic scholars would help address pressing social issues like waywardness, late marriages, and drug abuse.

Historical Shift and Control

This marks a major departure from past practices in Jammu and Kashmir, where individual mosques freely chose topics ranging from local social concerns to politics. Religious sites in the region have a long history of political mobilization, including the 1931 Shah-e-Hamdan protest against Dogra rule and 1990s anti-India rallies. Since taking over the Board in March 2022, Ms. Andrabi has taken control of several family-run shrines and ended traditional political practices like turban fastening. Prior to 2019, the state chief minister served as the ex-officio chairman of the Board, but the current elected government led by Omar Abdullah has no role in its affairs.

Political and Religious Backlash

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah criticized the move as an unacceptable attempt to interfere in religious matters and urged the BJP-appointed chairperson to halt it. Kashmir chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and grand mufti Naser Ul Islam both condemned the directive as state intrusion that violates freedom of religious practice and autonomy. Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti claimed the move mirrors a push for a Uniform Civil Code in the Union Territory, while leaders from the J&K Peoples Conference, Awami Ittehad Party, and J&K Apni Party also opposed it.

Defense and Support

Ms. Andrabi denied interfering in religious affairs or issuing any formal order, maintaining that a core committee of scholars rather than politicians would decide sermon topics. Senior cleric and Hazratbal head Maulana Raiyaz Ul Haq Noorabadi backed her stance, stating that scholars would choose topics based on social issues. However, other religious leaders in the Jammu province publicly opposed the move for lacking proper consultation.

Context

The J&K Waqf Board manages numerous Islamic properties and shrines across the Union Territory, operating under central laws introduced after the special status of Jammu and Kashmir ended in 2019. Friday congregational prayers hold immense significance in the region, traditionally serving as both spiritual gatherings and platforms for community discourse.